Sight for machine guns



OR 19491 1A1 M. L. JOHNSTON SIGHT FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Aug. 20, 1917 la T a n at u Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNITD STTS MILLARD L. JOHNSTON, 0F U'IICA, NEW YORK.

SIGHT FOR MACHINE GUNS.

Application filed August 20, 1917. Serial No. 187,219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLARD L. J OHN- STON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sights forMachine Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a sight for machine guns, and I declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereofsuflicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsin which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout thespecification.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient sight forthat class of firearms, known as machine guns. Moreover, the sight canbe adjusted, as to elevation, very quickly, whereby to further adapt itto the class of firearms mentioned.

The object will be understood by referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the sight, showing the leaf in raisedposition;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of a plate employed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the leaf, taken on the ,line 3-3 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the sight, showing the leafdown;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of a base member employed, showing alug thereon.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the sight embodies a leafor frame 1 whose sides 22 are beveled at 33, whereby to reduce theirthickness along the inner edges thereof adjacent the plate 4.Furthermore, the sides 2 are each provided with a longitudinal beveledrecess 5 for the sliding reception of the plate l having correspondinglybeveled edges to fit the recesses 5. The plate 4: has a V shaped recess6 adapted to form an open sight and just below the V shaped sight 6, asmall aperture 7 adapted to form a peep sight. The aperture 7 is locatedjust below the V shaped recess 6 in order to aid the eye of the marksmanin finding the same when sighting the gun.

The plate 4: has fixed thereon, as part thereof, an integral member 10provided with the yielding ends 11-l1 which have in each instance ahorizontally disposed tooth 12. The teeth 12 are adapted to engage ormesh with the teeth of the racks 1313 formed along the sides 2. Theteeth of the racks 13 will be made very fine in order to permit of avery accurate adjustment of the plate 5 as to elevation.

The lower part of the frame -1 has trunnions 1515 adapted to fit intocorresponding bearings made in the enlarged ends of the base members16-16, whereby the leaf or frame 1 may be turned upon its trunnions 15.The leaf 1- is held in upright position by a flat spring 17 that is madeintegral with the base members 16, being partially separated therefromalong its sides from the free end to the shoulder 18. The cutsseparating the sides of the spring 17 from the base members 16 terminatein round holes A, which aid in giving elasticity and durability to thespring 17. The lower part of the leaf 1-- has an enlarged part or lug20, two of whose surfaces rest each in turn upon the free end of thespring 17, whereby to hold the leaf 1- in either upright or closedposition. In this instance, the free end of the spring 17 will pressalternately against the respective faces of the lu 20 to hold the leaf 1in either upright or closed down position and will yield sufficiently topermit the leaf 1- to turn upon its trunnions 15.

The members 16 are united by the part 19 which is again shouldered at 21to form a platform for the upper end 22 of the frame or leaf -l. The end22 is protected, when turned down, by the elevations 23 of the members16.

The members 16 and part 19 formed therebetween have a depending tenon24: adapted to fit into a mortise 25 made in the receiver 26 of the gun,whereby the sight is held in assembled position. The joint is secured ina tight fitting manner by reason of an open transverse slot 27 that aidsin the yielding tendency of the lower portions of the tenon, which arepermitted to spring slightly after being assembled to the mortise. Theenlarged cylindrical part 28 of the slot- 27 increases the yieldingtendency of the lower parts of the tenon 24. The ends of the members 16,opposite that to which the part 19 adjoins, are provided with theprojections 30 that fit into corresponding recess formed in the receiver26 of the gun, whereby to aid in holding the sight in correct locationwith reference to the gun.

In operation, the leaf 1 will be kept turned down usually, and will beturned up when sighting. The plate 4 can be moved up or down on the leaf1 to get the correct elevation by manipulating the same with thefingers. When moving the plate 4, the ends 11 of the member 10 willyield sufficiently to allow the teeth 12 to ride over the teeth of theracks 13 and will automatically engage the adjacent teeth of the racks13 when the plate 4 comes to rest. A graduated scale denoting the properelevations with respect to the corresponding distances will be markedalong the sides 2 of the leaf 1-.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sight for machine guns, a leaf adapted to turn within a givenarc, a plate having a sight therein mounted on said leaf, a memberformed integral with said plate and having yielding ends, whereby toengage the leaf to hold the plate at any given position along said leaf.

2. In a sight for machine guns, a leaf adapted to turn Within a givenare, a spring for holding said leaf in position, a plate having sightstherein and mounted on said leaf, a member formed integral with saidplate and having yielding ends, and a tooth on each of said ends,whereby to hold the plate at any given position along said leaf.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

MILLARD L. JOHNSTON.

